Being a mom in business can be a challenging balancing act. Juggling the demands of parenthood with the demands of running a business can often leave you feeling overwhelmed and pulled in multiple directions. However, with focus and determination, it's possible to achieve your goals and build a successful business while still being an attentive and present parent.
I know, you may be thinking "this sounds an awful lot like your Time Management" piece. As it should. They are a very similar topic. And in order to help with your time management, you need to stay focused, so here are some tips (that I personally try my best to live by and one I fail miserably at) to help moms in business stay focused on their goals:
Set clear and achievable goals
Start by setting clear and achievable goals for yourself and your business. Set clear goals for both the long-term and short-term. Break down your long-term goals into smaller, more manageable tasks that you can work on every day. And remember to celebrate each milestone as work towards those goals. Don't wait until the end, as it could take a while to get there, depending on the size of the goal. This will help you stay focused and motivated, and ensure that you are making progress, every step of the way.
Prioritize your time
As a mom in business, your time is precious. It's important to prioritize your time and focus on the tasks that will have the greatest impact on your business. Make a to-do list each day and prioritize your tasks based on their importance and urgency. I have recently found Notion (partner link) to be a very useful tool for this, as it allows me to create a task and then move it along in the "process" on my workflow as it gets done (ie, "not started", "in progress", "completed" ..etc). If you only have 4 hours per day to devote towards your business, you want those 4 hours to be as productive as possible, so make sure you have a clear understanding of what would maximize your efforts during that time.
Create a schedule
Creating a schedule can help you stay organized and focused on your goals. I have talked about this before numerous times and you can see/hear it in my daily update videos as well (which you can find here). I highly recommend having it written down where you can visibly see it, until it becomes second nature for you. But don't forget to set aside specific times for work, family time, and self-care in that schedule as well. The key is to stick to your schedule as much as possible, but also be flexible enough to adjust it as needed.
Stay focused
It's easy to get distracted when you're working from home or running a business while taking care of children. I have talked about this before in "Time Management", specifically about avoiding the "time wasters", but there's more to it and will continue to bring it up as this is one of the hardest things for those of us that work from home. To stay focused, eliminate as many distractions as possible. Turn off your phone notifications, close unnecessary tabs on your computer, and work in a quiet, distraction-free space. Also stick to that schedule -- mama, I know that laundry and those dishes need to get done, but if 9am -12pm is work time, those other tasks can wait until 12:30pm.
Take care of yourself
As a mom in business, it's important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally. Make time for exercise, healthy eating, and self-care activities. When you take care of yourself, you'll be better equipped to handle the demands of running a business and taking care of your family. So make sure to have that scheduled in as well and stick to it. Mama, you have to take care of yourself too.
Ask for help
Admittedly, I am the worst at this part. But I know it's also important and will help with reaching those goals. So don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Whether it's hiring a virtual assistant, asking a family member to watch your children, or delegating tasks to your team, asking for help can help you stay focused on your goals and achieve success.
Being a mom in business requires focus and determination. By setting clear goals, prioritizing your time, creating a schedule, staying focused, taking care of yourself, and asking for help when you need it, you can achieve your goals and build a successful business while still being an attentive and present parent. Remember, it's possible to have it all with the right mindset and approach.